The Relationship Between Pre-operative Left Ventricular Longitudinal Strain and Post-operative Length of Stay in Patients Undergoing Arterial Switch Operation Is Age Dependent

INTRODUCTION

Post-operative length of stay (LOS) after the arterial switch operation (ASO) is variable. The association between pre-operative non-invasive measures of ventricular function and post-operative course has not been well established. The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate the relationship between pre-operative non-invasive measures of ventricular function and post-operative LOS and (2) evaluate the change in ventricular function after ASO.

METHODS

Data were reviewed in consecutive ASO patients between 2010 and 2016. The primary outcome was post-operative LOS. Echocardiograms obtained during the pre-operative period and at the time of discharge were retrospectively analyzed using speckle-tracking echocardiography. Pearson's correlation between patient-specific, pre-operative, and echocardiographic data versus post-operative LOS was assessed.

RESULTS

Fifty-two patients were included in analyses, 39 neonates and 13 infants. Left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain correlated with post-operative LOS for infants age > 28 days (r = 0.62, p = 0.03), but not for neonates (r = 0.14, p = 0.40). Operative age (r = - 0.42, p = 0.003), weight at surgery (r = - 0.48, p ≤ 0.001), and cardiopulmonary bypass time (r = 0.30, p = 0.045) also correlated with post-operative LOS. Standard 2D measures of ventricular function did not correlate with post-operative LOS. LV ejection fraction and longitudinal strain worsened post-operatively.

CONCLUSION

Higher pre-operative LV longitudinal strain (representing worse LV function) is associated with increased post-operative LOS after ASO in infants > 28 days, but not in neonates. LV ejection fraction and longitudinal strain worsened after ASO. Future studies should assess the utility of performing STE in risk stratifying patients prior to ASO.

Feasibility of Transthoracic Echocardiography Evaluation of Pulmonary Arteries Following Arterial Switch Operation

Pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis is the most common late sequela following arterial switch for d-transposition of the great arteries. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of transthoracic echocardiography in evaluating the pulmonary arteries following repair. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of all echocardiograms performed on patients following arterial switch operation. A numerical scoring system was devised and used to quantify PA visualization based on 2D images, color mapping, and spectral Doppler. The study cohort included 150 patients. The ability to visualize at least one PA was poorer in patients who were older [> 10 years (47%) vs ≤ 10 years (89%) (p < 0.001)], and who had larger body surface area (BSA) (> 1.25 m² (40%) vs ≤ 1.25 m² (90%) (p < 0.001)]. Regardless of age, 2D visualization of the pulmonary arteries was poor for the entire cohort. Of those with at least one non-visualized PA, only 54% had alternative imaging performed or ordered within the 5 years at or prior to their last echocardiogram. In conclusion, PA visualization following arterial switch is worse in patients who are older and in those with larger BSA. In such patients, alternative forms of imaging are more likely to be necessary.

Damus-Kaye-Stansel: Valuable Option for Retraining of Left Ventricle in Late Arterial Switch for Transposition of the Great Arteries

Management of dextro-transposition of the great arteries with intact interventricular septum along with regression of the left ventricle remains a challenge. Atrial switch always raises concerns about the fate of the right ventricle as a systemic ventricle in the long run. A two-stage repair with pulmonary artery banding and a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt or a single-stage arterial switch with mechanical support has a higher mortality and morbidity. This report describes a case of a 3-year-old girl with dextro-transposition of the great arteries with intact interventricular septum that was managed by a Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure with a right bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis in the first stage to train the left ventricle, followed by a definitive operation (arterial switch) in the second stage.

Usefulness of Routine Coronary CT Angiography in Patients with Transposition of the Great Arteries After an Arterial Switch Operation

Coronary complications in patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) after an arterial switch operation (ASO) are relatively rare, but of all the possible postoperative adverse events, they are potentially the most dangerous. The fate of the coronary arteries, which are transplanted during the neonatal ASO, remains uncertain. There is also no consensus regarding their postoperative evaluation, especially in asymptomatic patients. The aim of this study was to present the early results of routinely performed coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in asymptomatic adolescents and young adults with TGA after an ASO. An initial series of 50 CCTAs performed in asymptomatic patients with TGA after an ASO were evaluated. In each case, a detailed examination of the coronary anatomy, its relationship to the surrounding structures, its exact position in the neoaortic sinus, and the presence of significant coronary abnormalities was performed. The CT scans revealed significant coronary abnormalities in 12 asymptomatic patients: three had acute proximal angulation and stenosis, four had an intra-arterial course, seven had a muscular bridge, one had a left anterior descending artery with an intramuscular course, and one had coronary fistulas to the pulmonary arteries. Additionally, in 25 patients, proximal acute angulation of at least one coronary artery was detected, and four of them had a high ellipticity index. Most of the potentially severe anatomical features were related to the left coronary artery or the left anterior descending artery. CCTA routinely performed on asymptomatic patients with TGA after an ASO provides accurate and useful information for postoperative management. The frequency of coronary anomalies and potentially dangerous anatomical features in this group of patients is high, and their impact on postoperative follow-up remains unknown.